Clutch.



J. R. AMRCHESSEALULT.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JANA 2, 1912. 1,056,922, Patented Mar.25,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Attorneys J. H. MARCHESSEAULT.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1511.2, 1912.

1,056,922. Patented Mar.25,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2l i Witnesses Inventor M50/4 A Attorneys srATESf PATENT OFFICE.

JosIgirHi-LOIMAMHESSEALT, oF MoosUP, CONNECTICUT.

To all w'hm't mdp/:concern: l

Be it kiiownthatI, Josemi Roi MarennesitaUifr, ufcitizen lof the United States, residiugatfMoosup, in the county of iVindham and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Clutch, of .which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates toimprove-l ments in clutches, the primary object of the invention bein the form of variah e speec forward and reverse h vdraulic or-fluid transmission clutch operably disposed between a driving and driven element, and more especially adapted for use in connection with automobile and motor lioatconstruction.

Afin-ther object of the present. invention is the provision of a clutch embodying a uiain casing,'wliich is disposed between the driving and driven elements in a stationary manner and has disposed therewitliin oney end of the driving element shaft carrying the main fly wheel and clutch thereof, while on the other end thereof is mounted for rotation the forward end of the driven elements shaft, a rotor casing. being disposed within the main easing and the driven elements shaft, while-a rotorl is mounted .within said rotor casing and oper ably connected to the driven elements shaft,

there being means providedwhereby the fluid preferably oil, contained. within the; rotor casing may bepeiinittedto circulate, or be held static, to regulate the transmis sion between thedriving element and driven` element, and to further provide areversing' mechanism whereby 'the rotation of thel driven element may be in the opposite direc-f tion to the rotation of the driving element.

A still furtherobject' of the present inven-l tion is the provision of a novel form of-valve construction disposed in operable relation to the rotor ,chamber and rotors, vwhereby the control of the movement of the fluid withinthe rotor chamber willproduce in thetransmission from the driving to the driven ele! nient, various raduations v.of speed, such gi'aduations being. increased or decreased without any perceptible 4jar orvjolting as is usually occasioned by the movement ofthe various gears of the transmission gears, used more generally, the 4nearer the liquid being Specification o! Lettori Patent. App'iidationaied January 2, i912.l seriai No. 668,937.

rovision of a 'novel' operably connected to` ing L,

oiriafion.i

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

held'to astiitic condition, the more rigid the connection :between the driving and driven elements, the free movement or circulating 4action'oftlie liquid within the rotor permitting thegdriving element to rotate without affecting the driven element.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description Eroceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement- .of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it. being understood that chan es in the precise embodimentof the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the complete clutch, the parts being in normal position, that is when the fluid is permitted to circulate through the rotor casing without impedin" the rotor and causing motion to be transmitted from the driving to the driven element. Fig. Q is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the portion to the left of the rotor casing .and 'operating mechanism being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section faken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, dotted lines indicating the positionbf vthe various pistons of all three rotors` or rotor members. Fig."4 is a section taken on line 'tf-4 of Fi 1, the valves being shown lin their normatgposi ion to erniit the'rotation of-the rotor casing wit. iout affecting the rotors.`

Referring to the drawings, D indicates the driving shaft or driving element, and D' indicates the driven shaft or driven element.

These elements are used in connection with motor boats or automobiles to indicate the explosive motor and the differential shafts` respectively. interposed between the rc spect-ive ends of the shafts, lis the uiain caswhich ineloses the clutch mechanism to be fully hereinafter described. The respective elements D and D are provided with the flexible or universal joints 1 and 2, and connected to one member of the universal joint or flexible connection l, is the hub 3 to which is connected the fly wheel 4 provided with the :clutch iortion 5, of usual construction. Connected to`the inner member of the flexible or universal joint Slo 3 and-6 j being'anti-fijictionally supported in the -respectivendsof.the'jniain ca'sin C th rou ghjf' the rriedium'of "the *""r'ollerl or j all bearings-Tand8,re'spectively.;- .Y

The "casing C? isfi'noiinted lstationarilyfat' any 4desired point between the driving and mounted .u on'. .the shaft "9.1 l,This sleeve 11 lias its inner end. journaledabout the shaft 9 and within'the hub 12 ofthe head 13, and its, other end is` keyed to the hub -14 of the double-clutch'wheel,15. The clutch wheel 15 is provided with the forward clutch member 16 and the'i'everse clutch member 17, the entire clutch wheel 15 -being slidably mounted upon, but .rotatable with, the sleeve 11 vso as to normally assume tlieposition as s own in Fig. l whenthe sleeve ,11. and shaft 9 are being rotatedin thesame, or forward direction with the driving ele-- ment D, 'or to be held stationary, when the rotor casing is rotated in an opposite direction, to cause a reversemovement in the shaft D', as will presentlyl appear.

The hub 14 is providedwith the spooled portion 18 while mounted u on the sleeve,

11 adjacentto the hub 14, ist e thrust. bear-1 ing or ring 19, whieh"is.norma1ly held to-f ward the .hub 14 by. means of the spring 20, which ismounted upon the sleeve 11 between the hub 12 andthethrust bearing ring`19. The sprin 2O normally holds the :forwardl clutch surace 1G into4 engagement with thet clutcli' of the fiy wheel`4.

The rotoecasing M is mounted within the casing Ci-andis provided with 'v,tlie forward head 21, carr ingthe projecting portion 22, which 4.provid'esi a casing with the head 13.' for the reversingfmechanisma This reversing meehanism'consist's of the'lkey 23 carried by the shaft 9. and the main or central gear-24,.'which is disposed-foi" rotation be. tween the disks 26,?whiclicarry the inter-j mediate gears 27.- .j Theijintermediate,` gears: 27 are' in `mesh at all times withth'ef' ear,1 24 and theteeth of the band gear 25,w iich is keyed'tothe inner'p'eripheral wall of the casing formed-by, the proiecting'portion 22x of thehead,21. Theoperi'i'tio'n of this -re-. versin -Iriechanismx will`be, described later., The ot er` head.28 of the rotor casing is rovidedwith Ithe hub 29, vcarrying the stu ng box 30 for tha-rotatable reception of the shaft 31, which is keyed 'Ito and rotatable with the diskor hub (l. The shaft 31 is provided with the reduced portion 32 mounted' within the rotor casing and pro vided with the key 33 throughout the length thereof.- Y Theextreme inner end of the shaft 31 is further reduced as at 34 and carries the 'bushing 35, which is rotatably' mounted within the' recess'36 upon the inner side of the head 21, thus providing with the stufling box 30 and the hub 29 the bearings for the shaft 3l.

Disposed between the respective heads 21 and 28 of the rotor casing, are the bands or members 37, the tie-bolts or rods 38 beinfr passed therethrough, as illustrated, to hold the heads and the said rings 37 in rigid relation to provide thel casing with the two partitions 39,*which divide the said casing into three rotor chambers, with the respective rotors 40, 40 and 40 mounted eccentrically tlierewitliin to provide the crescent sha )e space as illustrated in Fig. 3.

tach one of the respective rotors are provided with the cut-away portion 41, which is disposed radially and has mounted for sliding movement therewithin, the single piston 42 having the socket 43 for the reception of the spring 44. The spring 44 is mounted within the slot 41, so as to exert a tension upon the piston to hold the outer end thereof toward the peripheral wall of its respective rotor chamber. Formed in the outer end of each of the respective pistons, is a concaved channel or recess 45 for the oscillating reception of the packing strips 46, each one of which is provided wit i a surface to correspond to the recess 45 of its piston and with theouter surface 47, which corresponds to the arc of the inner peripheral wall of'its respective rotor chamber.

"flic respective rotors 40, 40' and 40 are so keyed upon the shaft 32 as to have their respective pistons presented at 120 to each other, as clearly shown in full and dotted lines in Fi 3. This construction provides a means wlgiereby the rotors will act., or be acted, upon by the fluid within the respective rotor chambers, so that the fiuid will be permitted to circulate due to the rotation of the rotor casing about the rotors as will presently appear, or be held in a static condition, to form a cushioninfY and yet proper abutting means, to cause tlie respective rotors to be rotated with the rotor casing and t-liiis transmit motion from the driving element to the driven element.

in each one of the respective rotor chambers near the top thereof, is formed a i'ecess 48 in which is mounted a packing ring 49, normally held downwardly and in engagement with the periphery of the respective rotors, to prevent the passage of any of the fluid within the respective rotor chiunbers beyond such point, while each of the respective rotor chambers is provided willi the ports 5l and 51', leading into the respective longitudinal bores 52 und 52' easing asv clearly ls bore's`52 and {r2/is bi'i'shingzii which is vprovidedftx'vith three circumferentialgrooves 54,

eaclifor'ie' of which -registersrwith its respec-v tivefport'5 1or.51'1fand'provides-v aj circulating medium-fior Ithe fluidabout" the respectivevfbushings', as will presently"appear. These bushings are eachfurther'providedl with the'I ports 55, which' are iiiQcoiiiinunication with their` respective rooves54 to perl iiiitt-he'fluid'top'ass tlieret irough, and gwhen'- in registration-',with"f-the ports-1 58 "'and xthe' grooves 56 of the: hollow cylin'drical .-ln itiidinally. movable 'valv'esf 57,l to permit t ie fliiidto entertlie1central`bores 59 of'sad valves and finally into the by-pass 60, which forms a comiiiunicationbet-ween the bores of. theres'pective valves57. -Eaclioneof these valves is -fiirther provided with the circumferential grooves'56 Iwhich aline withtheir respective series of ports 58` to permit the circulation of the fiuid around the respective valves 57 and -in line with the ports 55 and grooves 54 of the bushings. The springs 61 and adjusting plugs 62 normally hold the respective va ves 57 so that the orts 58 will aline with the ports 55 of the usliin s 54, thus permitting free egress of the fiuid within the res ective rotor cham-I bers from the central ore of each valve through the b -pass G0 and into the opposite side of t e respective rotor'chambers through their'respective ports 51 and"51. Two valves, instead of'one, are employed' in order that a better sealing'of the liquid when the valvesare closed may be had and also that the cylinders may be'better balanced. lBy-this means the rotation of the rotor-chamber about the pistons-of the respective rotors, will cause the fiuid within tie respective chambers-to circulate freely and not afi'ect the rotation-of-theldriven element.l In order,however,'I to provide a means whereby the 'circulationV of the fluid or 1i uid within'the rotor chambers may be casing to the rotors and finally to thejdriven element, each valve`57 is rovided with a stem v63 sldably mounted tirouglithe stuffingbox 54 and the adjusting plate 05. 'The stem 63 is projected exteriorlv of the rotor casing to be'operated through a lever and manually controlled mechanism, so that the respective valves may be moved simultaneously inwardly and against the tension of the springs 61 so thatythe registration of the respective ports'58 of th'evalves 57 withthe ports ot'v the Abushing 54Amay `be decreasedproportionately-to --the speed' that vis desired to drive thedriven element. The mechanism for preferably operating these rotor chambers and vmeans between the valvesiigainst the tension of the springs 61 consists l'of' the shaft 67, mounted trans- .'versely in the lower portion of the casing C inthe journalsor bearings 66, and it is controlled through the lever 68 b any well known-means. Carried u on tie shaft 67 within the casingC and be ow the sleeve 11, is a yyoke 69, whose terminals 70 are in engagement-at lall times with the grooved spool 71. `This spool 71 is slidably mounted upon the bushin or hub 12 of the rotor casing `and is flirt ier provided with the spool portion2=72 in' which is mounted the yoke end 73fof'thelevei"l 74. The lower end of said lever 74-is pulled outwardly and as said lever. 74 :is pivoted to the lug 75, with its free end jdisposed in operable relation to the outer ends of the pins 63, said outer ends 76 will be depressed or moved inwardly to engage the said ins 63 and thus slide the va ves 57 inwar l against the tension of theisprings 61. lg'y this means the movements' of the lever 74 will regulate the desired registration of the ports of the valves 57 and the bushing 54, so that the liquid within the res cctive rotor chambers will be permitted to reely fiow and not affect the istons ofthe respective rotors so that the riven element is unaffected by t-lie rotation "of the drivingl element; It is thus apparent that themovement of the valves against the tension of the springs 61, will gradually decrease the registration between the ports of theyalves 57 and the bushing 54 and finally close the ports of the bushing 54, so that the li iid :within the respective'rotor chambers lwill be prevented from circulating there- `within and be held in a static condition.

Thus thevliquid due to the static condition will form al connecting means between the pistons of the respective rotors within the rovide a transmitting riving and driven elements.

When the parts are in the position as lshown in Fig. 1, the driving eleiiieiit is rotating the shaft 9 and sleeve 11 and conseretar ed andfinally held'ir'iyafstatic condi-'l' tion, andl thusl provide a; means,l whereby" motion may be transmittedfrom'tthe rotorquentlyi the rotor chamber is in what is being necessary to actuate the respective valves 57 to regulate the speed that it is desired to drive the driven shaft D. Should it be desired to reverse the direction of iotation of the rotor casing and consequently therotors and driven element, the lever 77 known as'the forward direction it simply is moved toward the rotor easing and :is the same actuates the rock shaft 78, the yoke 79 will move the spool 18 and consequent-ly throw the clutch wheel 15 from engagement with the clutch 5 of the fiy wheel 4, and throw the clutch face 17 iii engagement with the clutchface 8O of the stationary reverse clutch member 81. This action will cause the shaft 9 to be rotated and rotate the gear 24, which through the gears 27 will transmit quently .rotatelthe.rotor;casingiMfEinrl'a reable fspeed in reverse direct-ion fto` be impart. ed .throu'ghitherot-o`rslv40, 4O 5and .4O-V. to the' drivenfgelementor shaftDfi-,11...

Tliejstationary.clutchorQbrake band, 8 1 is secured'rigidlvwithin the casixigaQandipreferably to the .ower section thereof, lthe same providing,l as vde'scribed,a.braki'n means to preventjtherotation ofthe-lclute -wheel 15 andzconsequently.the z sleeve' 11 durin the reverso'rotationdfof the -=rotor t rcasing i and? the.drivexrelementifl i i. From tlte foregoing description, itis evident that therotor casing provided with the respective i'otorsand pistons and the valves 57 as setforth and shown provides a means4 whereby thevuid, preferably oil, is permitted a'free circulation to both sides of the istonswithout the necessity orl the use o an auxiliary rece itacle for the pum and b reason of the ouble frictionelutcli and dit, ferential gearl system, the desired forward and reverse movement may be readily l.imparted to the driven element from the driving element and at any variation ofvs eed, due to the control of the flow of fluid withinl the rotor=casing, with a device constructed according to the present invention.

Although in the present instance theconstruction has lbeen shownpit is understood that the arrangement ofseveral parts'may be altered to suitconditions,thatistheexible'. connections` between theedrivin and driven shafts may be dispensed A.witi and rigid connections there employed'-wlicre occasion will' permit, the-main Aprinciple being in the construction andmrrangementof the rotor casing, pistonspvalve control randjeversing gears, with the various operating mechanisms therefor.- `I f Y lVhat is claimed is; i 1. Theicombination with a'drivingele-v4 ment and a driyenelement, ofa vvariable speed fluid ltransmitting mechanisminterposed therebetween, and having a stationary mcasing shell, rotatable `means-.mounted in' the respective ends of said'shell andoperably connected to the respective drivingand driven elements, a rotor casing mounted for rotation-within said shell and provided with a plurality of rotor chambers each of which is provided with two-ports leading thereinto, two slidably mounted hollow cylindrical valves slidinvly mounted in the rotor Casin g for controllmgthe respective ports to 4permit the circulationor non-circulation ofthe liuid within therespectiverotor chambers' said 1 valves being inV .communication witheach 'other, means Y for actuating sai'd valves,' a plurality., of "rotors one, to each rotor chamber mounted .in the lrotorcasingt a single piston carried by each rotor, and

'aishaft operably connected to thel driven element andto said rotors, said shaft being rotatably mounted in the rotor casing.

,2.l"l`ho: combination with a driven elementvand a driving element, of a fluid transmission'mechanism interposed therebetween andi-having a main frame, a rotor casing mounted-for rotation in the main frame, a rotor mounted in the casing and operably connected to the driven element, said rotor casing being provided with two bores each in communication with the rotor casing, and

also iii/communication with each other, a

bushing disposed vin each bore and having ayplurality, of ports and circumferential grooves in commumcatlon with the rotor chamber, spring actuated cylindrical valves,

one to cach bus ng slidably mounted in cach bushing and rovided with ports to norvmally aline with the ports of the bushing,

and manually operated means for simultaneously operating the valves.

3. The combination with a driving element and a driven element, of a fluid transmission mechanism interposed therebetween -and having a main frame, a rotor casing mounted for rotation in the main frame, a rotor mounted in the casing and operably connected to the driven element, said rotor casing being provided with two parallel y bores each in communication with the chamber .of the rotor casing, a bushing disposed in each bore and having a plurality of ports and a. circumferential. vgroove in communication with the rotor chamber, spring actuated hollow cylindrical valve, one to each bushing'slidably mounted in each bushing and provided with portsto normally aline with the ports of the bushing, and a cir -cumferential groove to each series of ports,

said casing being further rovided with a Vby-pass 'leading from the ores of the respectivevalves to provide a complete passageway forthe `tiuid within the rotor .chamber and valves, and manually operfated means` for simultaneouslyl operatingr the valves..

4.The-combination with a'driving element andra driven element, of a Huid transmission mechanismvinterposed therebetween and having a,main frame, a rotor casing.,r provided wit-ha plurality of rotor chambers, said rotor casing being mounted for rotation in the main frame, a plurality of rotors one to each chamber mounted in the rotor casing, means for operably connecting said rotors with the driven elcment, said rotor casing being. provided with two bores each in communication with -the respective chambers of the rotor casing, a bushing disposed in each bore andprovided 'with a plurality of ports in communication Withthe respective chainbers of the rotor casing, a spring actuated hollow cylindrical valve slidably mounted lOl Y means.

in`V each bushing and provided with ports adapted to normally aline with the ports of the bushing to permit the entrance of the fluid from the rotor chambers into the body of the valve, said rotor casing being further provided with a by-pass forming communication between the bores of the respective valves, and manually operated simultaneously operating the valves.

5. The combination with a driving ele mentI and a driven element, of a fiuid transmission mechanisnrinterposed therebetween and having a main frame, a rotor casing provided with a plurality of rotor. chambers7 said rotor casing being mounted for rotation in the main frame, a plurality of rotors one to each chamber mounted in the rotor casing, means for operably connecting said ated hollow cylindrical valves oneto each bushing slidably mounted in each bushing and provided with corresponding ports through its respective bushings and with cir cumferential grooves to each plurality of ports, and manually operated means for simultaneously operating the valves. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto a'lxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH ROI MARCHESSEAULT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MAncHEssEAUL'r Moses R. BnomLLARD. 

